1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to luggage, and more particularly to luggage having a fabric shell which is provided with a platelike frame for reinforcing the fabric shell, without the use of the reinforcing ring, thereby enhancing the productivity of the luggage, reducing the weight of the luggage, and increasing the degree of the design freedom of the luggage.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIGS. 3-9, prior art luggage 50 has a main body 51 formed of the lining cloth of the outer cloth by sewing.
The front side of the main body 51 is in the open state and is covered by a cover piece 52 which is made of cloth and is provided in the four fringes thereof with zippers 53, 54 for fastening and unfastening the adjoining fringes.
As shown in FIG. 4 a platelike frame 55 is disposed in the gap located between the outer cloth and the lining cloth for maintaining the shape of the luggage 50 and for reinforcing.
In order to facilitate the inserting of the frame 55 into the gap, the frame 55 is divided into a frame main body 55A, a left side plate 55B, and a right side plate 55B. The main body is integrally made with the back plate, the bottom plate, and the top plate.
As shown in FIG. 5, a reinforcing ring 56 is fastened by sewing with the four edges of the left and the right side walls of the luggage main body 51. The reinforcing ring 56 is made of a metal wire and is rectangular in shape.
As shown in FIG. 6, the luggage 50 is provided with a handle 57 for use in carrying the luggage, and a caster 58.
The structures of a conventional luggage 60 are shown in FIGS. 7-9. The luggage 60 is basically similar in construction to the luggage 50 such that the main body 61 of the luggage 60 is the same as the main body 51 of the luggage 50.
As shown in FIG. 7, the luggage 60 has a reinforcing frame 62, which is completely similar in pattern to the frame 55.
The frame main body 62A is joined together with the top plate, left side plate and right side plate. The lower ends of the two side plates and the two side edges of the bottom plate 62B are fastened by screws.
The inner side of the frame main body 62A is fixed reinforcing plate 63.
The back plate 62C and the frame main body 62A are not made integrally and are made separately.
The frame main body 62A is susceptible to deformation by an external force. Each edge of the front side and the back side of the luggage main body 61 is provided with a reinforcing ring 64 fastened therewith by sewing, as shown in FIG. 8. The reinforcing ring 64 is made of a metal wire and is rectangular in shape.
The conventional luggage 50 described above has shortcomings, which are described hereinafter.
In the first place, the frame main body 55A and two side plates 55B are not connected together, thereby causing the main body 55 to be susceptible to deformation by an external force.
The above shortcoming may be overcome by the reinforcing ring 56 which is fastened to the luggage main body 51 by sewing. However, it is very inconvenient and time-consuming to fasten the reinforcing ring 56 to the luggage main body 51 by sewing.
The reinforcing ring 56 is made of metal and is responsible for giving an added weight to the luggage.
The frame 55 is divided into three parts, which are then inserted into the receiving space between the lining cloth and the outer cloth as integral parts of the luggage main body 51. It is conceivably time-consuming and costly to insert the three parts of the frame 55 in the receiving spaces between the lining cloth and the outer cloth.
As shown in FIG. 6b, the four arcuate corners of the luggage are visible to a person who looks at the luggage from the side of the luggage, after the frame 55 has a three-dimensional shape. However, the four arcuate comers are not visible to the person who looks at the front side of the luggage.
Another conventional luggage 60 has several drawbacks which are described hereinafter.
The frame main body 62A and the back plate 62C are not connected. As a result, the main body 62 is apt to deform upon being exerted on by a horizontally-oriented external force.
The luggage 60 shares some of the shortcomings of the conventional luggage 50 described above.
The reinforcing plate 63 is rigid and heavy, so as to reinforce the structure of the frame 62. The reinforcing plate 63 gives an added weight to the luggage 60.
After the frame 62 has become a three-dimensional structure, the four arcuate corners of the luggage are visible to a person who looks at the front side of the luggage, as illustrated in FIG. 9a. However, the arcuate comers of the luggage are not visible to the person who looks at the side of the luggage, as illustrated in FIG. 9b. 
The quality of the design of the luggage plays an iml role in the marketability of the luggage.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a novel luggage which comprises a frame resistant to deformation even without the help of the reinforcing ring. In addition, the frame of the present invention is designed in such a pattern that the productivity of the frame is raised, and that the degree of design freedom is enhanced, thereby enabling the luggage to have an arcuate profile.
The luggage of the present invention is characterized by the frame, which is disposed between the outer cloth and the lining cloth of the luggage and is formed of a platelike material. The frame is intended to hold up the shape of the luggage and to reinforce the luggage.
The frame of the present invention is formed of a bottom plate, a top plate, and a back plate. The top plate and the left and the right plates are connected. The lower edges of the top plate and the back plate are fastened to the bottom plate. The upper edge of the back plate is fastened to the top plate. The upper end of the back plate is provided with a laminated plate, which is joined with the top plate.
The four side edges of the bottom plate, the juncture of the side plate and the top plate, and the juncture of the back plate and the laminated plate are provided with a curved portion of a radian.
In addition, the front edge of the frame is also provided with a curved portion of a radian.
The objective, features and functions of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.